AO1

• Studying the influence of culture in gender development allows us to assess the extent to which gender is a biological or a social construct.  If biological then it would be the same in all cultures.  If different cultural influences result in differences in gender roles this would infer gender to be socially constructed.   
• Mead observed 3 separate tribal communities in Papa New Guinea for 6m and recorded behaviours:

  1. tribe 1 both sexes were femenine
  2. tribe 2 both sexes were masculine
  3. tribe 3 gender roles were reversed compared to western society

  Shows different cultures show differences in gender related behaviour therefore nurture has a greater influence on gender development than nature.